Nuclear test veteran campaigners speak to GB News after Andy Burnham denies invitation to annual reunion: 'No guts!'

The founder of LABRATS International and the son of a nuclear test veteran have hit out at Prime Minister Andy Burnham, Wes Streeting and Veterans Minister Calvin Bailey for declining their invitation to attend their annual reunion event.

Speaking to GB News, founder Alan Owen and Steve Foote declared it is "terrible" of the Government not to attend or "have the guts" to stand in front of the veterans who risked their lives.

The event brings together those involved in Britain's atomic bomb testing, to catch up and renew their fight for answers.

Following a GB News-led fundraiser in 2025, the money raised from People's Channel viewers - more than £50,000 -contributed to this year's reunion.

Some 22,000 servicemen were sent out to Australia and the South Pacific in the 1950s and 1960s as part of Britain's nuclear testing programme.

As nuclear test veterans and their families reunite in Weston-super-Mare this week, Mr Owen thanked those who donated to the fundraiser and made the event happen.

He said: "We've been here all week, thanks to the viewers of GB News. This is our second event that we've been able to actually provide help to the veterans for.

"We did a reunion last year where it was completely free, we did a Christmas in Carmarthen event which you covered, which again was completely free, and we did this one where we were able to offer a reduced cost.

"So we have 100 community members here in beautiful Western, and they have veterans here, we have the wives and widows and the descendants such as ourselves, and we've had a great week so far with lots of entertainment, lots of fun, and me providing lots of updates about what's happening on the Government side."

However, two key Government figures who were invited by Mr Owen, PM Andy Burnham and Veterans Minister Calvin Bailey, declined their invitations.

Mr Owen told GB News: "We asked Andy Burnham to attend, obviously as Prime Minister he's very busy, but we asked Wes Streeting to attend - unfortunately, he said he could not attend - and we even asked the Veterans Minister to attend.

"But he said due to diary commitments, he was unable to attend. He did send a very brief message to the veterans, but it was very disappointing because I've asked them every year to attend."

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He made clear he will be sending the same three Labour figures an invitation next week for the 2027 event, so that they cannot cite "diary clashes" as a reason not to attend.

Mr Owen said: "Next week, I will send them the invite for next year, so when they say it's diary clashes, they know about this event.

"It happens the same week every year, it's not different. It's happened for 40 years and never has one of them had the guts to stand in front of them, and I think it's terrible that they don't come."

Asked how he feels about the Government's "snub", Mr Foote told GB News it is "disappointing" that no one has attended the event.

Mr Foote said: "It's disappointing. I accept that they're busy, but just to pop down and stand in front of the veterans for half an hour, is that difficult?

"I don't think it is, really, but we're just waiting to hopefully meet the Prime Minister."

Echoing Mr Foote's remarks, Mr Owen concluded: "It means so much to the veterans to just be together in one room to talk about their experiences. We have a veteran this year who's come for the first time, who's 93 years old. He's in a wheelchair, and yesterday he was up dancing with his son, supporting him because he wanted to get out of it.

"That's how much it means to the community, but our ministers don't seem to get that, and next year is the 75th anniversary of the first atomic bomb."

In a statement, an MoD spokesman told GB News: "Defence Ministers have met regularly with veterans and their representatives to hear their concerns, and continue to engage with the community in an open and constructive way.

"Ministers continue to engage with LABRATS and are actively looking into the matters they have raised."